Virat Kohli gestures upon his arrival at New Delhi airport after winning ICC T20 World Cup 2024, on July 04, 2024.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

India batter Ruturaj Gaikwad knows well that it will be “tough” and “hard” to replace retired Virat Kohli at number three spot in T20Is and said he is just focusing on making valuable contributions with the bat in whatever position the team leadership deems fit.

The retirement of Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from the shortest format following the T20 World Cup triumph has opened the doors for the upcoming players and Gaikwad is one such talented batter who has the potential to seal the No. 3 spot.

“This is a big topic and I think it’s not the right point to think about it. To even compare with him (Kohli) or try to fill in his shoes is relatively very tough and very hard,” Gaikwad said on the eve of the third T20I against Zimbabwe.

“As I had said in the IPL as well, it is difficult to fill my best shoes as well. Definitely, you want to start your career, you want to start the way you want, you want to play your own game. So that’s the priority right now.

“Focus on one game, focus on how you can contribute towards the team in whichever position you play and make sure you are on the winning side more often than not.” Gaikwad has batted at No. 3 position for India in the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe but the Pune-born cricketer said he has no preference and will bat wherever the team requires him.

“No, wherever the team wants, I will bat there. There is no problem. There is not much difference between the opening and the number 3 because you have to play the new ball. So there is not much difference,” he said.

Gaikwad led the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL this year and he said captaincy has made him to get more involved in the game though it didn’t make any difference to his batting.

“Actually, to be honest, nothing has changed much. Because my batting has been the same as before. I have to play with responsibility and try and finish it on my own,” he said.

“It’s just that the way you look at the game, I think every time you are more involved now in the game since you have captained the IPL franchise for a long period of time.

“So you tend to be into the game for a longer period of time instead of just staying in the boundary outside and just focusing on one ball. As I said, batting wise it’s not made much difference.” Young opener Abhishek Sharma had spoken about how Gaikwad helped him in “keeping perspective” as he went hammer and tongs to blast a match-winning 47-ball 100 in the second T20I.

“Actually, communication is not from a senior player,” Gaikwad said.

“It comes from a batting partner because obviously with non-strikers you feel something about a particular bowler or particular conditions and you have to have that confidence to go and share with your partner whatever you feel and what are the right options, what to do in certain situations.

“Definitely this is something which I have been doing it being part of all the teams whether state team, IPL team or Indian team as well…”

M.S. Dhoni is seen during the IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash

Nearing 43, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s six-hitting ability and fitness remains as good as anyone and the former India skipper says he has no option but to keep working hard and stay fit since “nobody gives you a discount for age”.

Dhoni, who handed Chennai Super Kings’ captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad at the start of the 2024 IPL season, played all 14 league stage games, batted way down the order and yet made a huge impact.

The World Cup-winning captain scored 161 runs at an incredible strike rate of 220.55, forcing many to believe that he can play for two more years in the IPL.

The iconic cricketer admitted that it is tough for him to perform after he comes straight to the IPL without playing any cricket prior to the league.

“The toughest thing is, I am not playing cricket throughout the year. So I have to be fit. Once I come, you are competing against youngsters who are fit and playing international cricket. Professional sport is not easy, nobody gives you a discount for age,” Dhoni said in a video that is doing the rounds on social media.

“If you want to play, you have to be as fit as the other guy. Age does not really give that grace to you. So, eating habits, a bit of training and all those things are there. Social media, thankfully, I am not on social media, so there’s less distraction,” Dhoni said in the video posted by Dubai Eye 103.8 YouTube channel.

For the legendary cricketer from Jharkhand, things like farming, riding bikes and vintage cars work as stress buster for him.

“Once I quit international cricket, I wanted to spend a bit more time with my family. But, at that same time, to be mentally active, to have that passion to stay focussed — for me, I love farming, for me it is the motorbikes, I have started getting into vintage cars.

“These things de-stress me. If am stressed, I would maybe go to the garage, spend a couple of hours over there and I will just be fine, I would come back,” he said.

“I have always felt growing up with a pet, whether it is a cat or a dog… I prefer dogs though. They have unconditional love towards you. I have said this in a previous interview, even if I lose a game and come back, my dog greets me the same way.” He has been a much admired leader at CSK and Dhoni said that “we need to earn that respect of the people you’re leading”.

“You cannot command or demand respect. You need to earn it. I may have a position in an institution, and yes, that position needs to be respected. But me as an individual sitting on the chair, I need to earn that respect.

“I cannot just say ‘respect me’! If you have the respect of the people around you, they give 10 to 15 percent more.

“India is slightly different. People talk about being professional. Yes, we Indians are professional, but our emotional connect is stronger. I feel as an Indian, my strength is the emotional connect. My connection with CSK is an emotional connect.

“It’s not just a player who comes and plays for a couple of months and then goes back home.” While he is not a big fan of social media, Dhoni would prefer Instagram over X to avoid controversy.

“I prefer Instagram over Twitter (X). I believe that nothing good has happened over Twitter, you know, especially in India, there’s always a controversy. Somebody will write something and it turns into a controversy.

“I was like why do I need to be there? It used to be 140 characters. You cannot elaborate. Imagine me putting something over there and then it is left to the people to read it. And they just interpret what they want to interpret.

“So I’m like, no, no, that’s not really for me. Instagram, still I like because I could put up my picture or video or something and just leave it. That is also changing now. So I still prefer Instagram, but I’m not very active because less distractions are better.”

Royal Challengers Bengaluru players celebrate after winning a crucial match against the Chennai Super Kings at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: K BHAGYA PRAKASH

When Royal Challengers Bengaluru went on a five-match winning run after hanging on to its fingernails for much of the season, even its most ardent fans wouldn’t have believed that their team’s stars had aligned.

But, on Saturday at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the most definitive proof for it emerged as RCB beat Chennai Super Kings by 27 runs to qualify for the playoffs.

Rain didn’t play spoilsport as it was expected to.

RCB lost the toss and put on a splendid batting show. And even the best efforts of Ravindra Jadeja (42 n.o., 22b, 3×4, 3×6) and M.S. Dhoni (25, 13b, 3×4, 1×6) couldn’t salvage things for CSK.

RCB made 218, effectively setting CSK 201 to qualify. Jadeja and Dhoni took their side from 129 for six after 15 overs to 184 for six after 19. When Dhoni smashed the first ball of Yash Dayal’s last over out of the ground, it appeared as if RCB had contrived to miss out. But Dayal dismissed Dhoni and held his nerve to carry his side through.

CSK, in fact, appeared well placed at 85 for two with Rachin Ravindra (61b, 37b, 5×4, 3×6) and Ajinkya Rahane (33, 22b, 3×4, 1×6) batting. But it slumped to 119 for five as Lockie Ferguson prised out Rahane, Shivam Dube struggled (7, 15b) and Ravindra was run out. Dhoni Jand adeja brought CSK close to the target, but it was not to be.

Earlier, RCB’s PowerPlay (42 runs) was punctuated by a 41-minute rain break and batting on either side seemed like chalk and cheese. The ball gripped and turned after the interruption as Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner revelled. Only when the length was marginally fuller did the scoreboard tick, with Virat Kohli (47, 29b, 3×4, 4×6) collecting two slog-swept sixes. A third such attempt to hit against the turn, however, cost him.

Rajat Patidar joined skipper Faf du Plessis (54, 39b, 3×4, 3×6) and was quickly off the blocks, smashing Theekshana over long-off and Simarjeet Singh over fine-leg. But an unfortunate run out ended du Plessis’ stay, curtailing an ominous-looking association.

Cameron Green (38 n.o., 17b, 3×4, 3×6) and Patidar (41, 23b, 2×4, 4×6) put on 71 runs from just 28 balls, with Ruturaj Gaikwad even dropping the burly Australian on 18. Cameos from Dinesh Karthik (14, 6b, 1×4, 1×6) and Glenn Maxwell (16, 5b, 2×4, 1×6) gave RCB the cushion which ultimately proved worth of qualification.

The previous occasion Gujarat Titans met Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium, B. Sai Sudharsan stroked his way to a brilliant 96 in the 2023 IPL final in a losing cause.

Against the same opponent on Friday, Sai Sudharsan went on to score his maiden IPL hundred (103, 51b, 5×4, 7×6) to power Titans to 231 for three after being asked to bat.

Perfect guide

The opener had his partner Shubman Gill to guide him along. The skipper made a hundred of his own (104, 55b, 9×4, 6×6) as the two made mincemeat of a hapless Super Kings attack during their 210-run partnership and set up a 35-run win. The duo made optimum use of the good batting conditions, displaying their full range with a mix of conventional batting and smart improvisation.

Right from the first ball he faced, Gill showed he meant business; he cut Mitchell Santner for a four and deposited him over long-on in the first over.

Sai Sudharsan joined the party with a couple of sixes. He then went after Ravindra Jadeja, targeting the leg-side boundary and getting to his half-century with a slog-swept six.

Ruturaj Gaikwad had to rely on seamers Simarjeet Singh and Daryl Mitchell as the spinners struggled, but the plan backfired. The floodgates opened in the 11th over when Gill pulled Simarjeet over fine-leg for a maximum to reach his half-century before Sai Sudharsan finished the over with a brace of sixes.

Gill turned his attention to Daryl Mitchell in the 14th over, smashing three sixes. To make it more agonising for the bowler, Tushar Deshpande dropped the second shot at long-off when the batter was on 72.

As they had done throughout their innings, Gill and Sai Sudharsan majestically touched the three-figure mark in the 17th over bowled by Simarjeet. While the former punished a full toss, the latter scooped the ball over fine-leg for a maximum.

Though Deshpande and Shardul Thakur pulled things back for Super Kings in the final five overs, they couldn’t stop Titans from making a mammoth total.

Chasing a target of 232, CSK was reduced to 10 for three. Mitchell (63) and Moeen Ali (56) put up a fight, adding 109 for the fourth wicket. Mohit Sharma weaved his magic, foxing Mitchell and Moeen with slower deliveries as the chase fizzled out. With their fifth victory, Titans lived to fight another day.

SCOREBOARD

GUJARAT TITANS

B. Sai Sudharsan c Dube b Deshpande 103 (51b, 5×4, 7×6), Shubman Gill c Jadeja b Deshpande 104 (55b, 9×4, 6×6), David Miller (not out) 16 (11b, 1×4), M. Shahrukh Khan run out 2 (3b); Extras (lb-1, w-5): 6; Total (for three wkts. in 20 overs): 231.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-210 (Sai Sudharsan, 17.2 overs), 2-213 (Gill, 17.6), 3-231 (Shahrukh, 19.6).

SUPER KINGS BOWLING

Santner 2-0-31-0, Deshpande 4-0-33-2, Shardul 4-0-25-0, Simarjeet 4-0-60-0, Jadeja 2-0-29-0, Mitchell 4-0-52-0.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

Ajinkya Rahane (Impact Player in place of Deshpande) c Tewatia b Warrier 1 (5b), Rachin Ravindra run out 1 (2b), Ruturaj Gaikwad c Rashid b Umesh 0 (3b), Daryl Mitchell c Shahrukh b Mohit 63 (34b, 7×4, 3×6), Moeen Ali c Noor b Mohit 56 (36b, 4×4, 4×6), Shivam Dube c Noor b Mohit 21 (13b, 2×4, 1×6), Ravindra Jadeja c Miller b Rashid 18 (10b, 2×4, 1×6), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 26 (11b, 1×4, 3×6), Mitchell Santner b Rashid 0 (2b), Shardul Thakur (not out) 3 (4b): Extras (lb-3, w-4): 7; Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 196.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-2 (Ravindra, 0.6), 2-2 (Rahane, 1.1), 3-10 (Ruturaj, 2.5), 4-119 (Mitchell, 12.2), 5-135 (Moeen, 14.2), 6-165 (Dube, 16.4), 7-169 (Jadeja, 17.3), 8-169 (Santner, 17.5).

TITANS BOWLING

Umesh 3-0-20-1, Warrier (Impact Player in place of Sai Sudharsan) 3-0-28-1, Tyagi 4-0-51-0, Noor 2-0-25-0, Rashid 4-0-38-2, Mohit 4-0-31-3.

Toss: CSK. PoM: Gill.

Titans won by 35 runs.

A bout of flu forced Tushar Deshpande to miss out on Chennai Super Kings’ home fixture against Punjab Kings earlier in the week. But in the reverse fixture on May 5, the seasoned fast bowler returned to action in style and claimed two for 35 to guide CSK to a 28-run win and bring its Indian Premier League campaign back on track.

After CSK’s innings ended at 167 for 9, it did not seem to be a great total on the HPCA Stadium surface. However, Deshpande struck in his opening over, dismissing the in-form Jonny Bairstow and Rilee Russouw in a span of three deliveries. Punjab Kings could not recover thereon before finishing at 139 for 9.

Coming into the game, CSK’s bowling department had injury concerns with Deepak Chahar and Matheesha Pathirana out of action, but it managed to execute its plans to perfection as Simarjeet Singh — returning to competitive cricket after December 2022 — and Ravindra Jadeja (3 for 20) built on Deshpande’s fiery opening spell.

Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh forged a 53-run partnership for the third wicket and looked on course to guide Kings out of the woods, but things went downhill once Mitchell Santner earned a breakthrough dismissing Shashank. Jadeja followed up dismissing Prabhsimran and triggered Kings’ collapse. The home side lost five wickets for 16 runs.

With this win, CSK kept its playoffs alive despite another dull day with the bat. It lost opener Ajinkya Rahane early, but captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell dominated the Powerplay, taking the tally to 60 for 1.

At that stage, it seemed CSK was on course for a 200-plus total, but things turned quickly as leg-spinner Rahul Chahar broke the partnership and claimed the wickets of Gaikwad and Shivam Dube in consecutive deliveries. It was another golden duck for Dube and having lost three wickets in a space of 11 balls, CSK’s innings needed consolidating.

Jadeja played a handy knock to guide the team breach the 160-run mark, even though batting at No.9 for the first time in his T20 career, MS Dhoni fell in the first delivery. But in the end, it was CSK all the way.

Matheesha Pathirana returns to Sri Lanka

Chennai Super Kings’ Matheesha Pathirana’s outing in the ongoing IPL is all but over as the pacer will return to Sri Lanka to recover from a hamstring injury.

The right-arm slinger played six matches in this IPL, picking up 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68.

“Chennai Super Kings wishes Pathirana a quick recovery,” the CSK stated in a media release.

Pathirana last played for CSK during their 78-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he bowled two overs and picked up the wickets of Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen.

Pathirana missed the match against Punjab Kings at Chennai on May 1 with England pacer Richard Gleeson replacing him.

The unavailability of Pathirana is a big setback to CSK as their bowling stocks have dwindled drastically in the last few days.

Pace bowling all-rounder Deepak Chahar too is set to miss the remainder of the IPL with a niggle he sustained during the match against Punjab at Chepauk.

Chahar walked off the field after bowling just two balls and Shardul Thakuar had completed the over for him.

“Deepak Chahar doesn’t look good. The initial feeling wasn’t great. So, I’m hoping for a more positive report when the physio and the doctor have a look,” CSK coach Stephen Fleming had said after that match.

CSK will also be without Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana at least for a couple of more matches as he is expected to fly back to Sri Lanka to complete his USA visa process ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup in the Americas.

Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL stint too came to an end in the previous match against PBKS after he has joined the national team for the home T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Scoreboard

Chennai Super Kings: Ajinkya Rahane c Rabada b Arshdeep Singh 9 Ruturaj Gaikwad c JM Sharma b Chahar 32 Daryl Mitchell lbw b Patel 30 Shivam Dube c JM Sharma b Chahar 0 Moeen Ali c Bairstow b Curran 17 Ravindra Jadeja c Curran b Arshdeep Singh 43 Mitchell Santner c Curran b Chahar 11 Shardul Thakur b Patel 17 Mahendra Singh Dhoni b Patel 0 Tushar Deshpande not out 0 Richard Gleeson not out 2 Extras: (LB-1, W-5) 6

Total: (For 9 wickets in 20 overs) 167

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-69, 3-69, 4-75, 5-101, 6-122, 7-150, 8-150, 9-164

Punjab Kings bowling: Kagiso Rabada 3-0-24-0, Arshdeep Singh 4-0-42-2, Sam Curran 4-0-34-1, Harpreet Brar 1-0-19-0, Rahul Chahar 4-0-23-3, Harshal Patel 4-0-24-3.

Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh c sub (Sameer Rizvi) b Jadeja 30 Jonny Bairstow b Deshpande 7 Rilee Rossouw b Deshpande 0 Shashank Singh c Simarjeet Singh b Santner 27 Sam Curran c Santner b Jadeja 7 Jitesh Sharma c Dhoni b Simarjeet Singh 0 Ashutosh Sharma c Simarjeet Singh b Jadeja 3 Harpreet Brar not out 17 Harshal Patel c sub (Sameer Rizvi) b Simarjeet Singh 12 Rahul Chahar b Thakur 16 Kagiso Rabada not out 11 Extras: (LB-5, W-4) 9

Total: (For 9 wickets in 20 overs) 139

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-9, 3-62, 4-68, 5-69, 6-77, 7-78, 8-90, 9-117

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Mitchell Santner 3-0-10-1, Tushar Deshpande 4-0-35-2, Richard Gleeson 4-0-41-0, Ravindra Jadeja 4-0-20-3, Simarjeet Singh 3-0-16-2, Shardul Thakur 2-0-12-1.

(with inputs from PTI)

Lucknow Super Giants captain K.L. Rahul with his Chennai Super Kings counterpart Ruturaj Gaikwad.
| Photo Credit: AP

hennai Super Kings will look to regain some momentum in what has been a start-stop campaign when it takes on Lucknow Super Giants in the reverse fixture at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on April 23. The two sides met three days back in Lucknow, where LSG easily prevailed by eight wickets.

Super Kings enters a crucial phase of the tournament with three matches at home over the next eight days, which could determine the chance of making the playoffs. CSK has won all three games in its backyard this year and will want to continue that form to add to its four wins.

However, the defending champion has some big headaches to solve, mainly around its struggles in the PowerPlay with both bat and ball.

Runs have dried up for key top-order batters like Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane, and the batting relies heavily on Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube. The skipper demoted himself to the number three in the last two matches, and it will be interesting to see if he goes back to open. Similarly, the pacers’ inability to give early breakthroughs will be an area the team needs to address.

Meanwhile, Super Giants had some positives from the previous match. The bowlers set the game up before skipper K.L. Rahul led from the front with a quick-fire half-century alongside Quinton de Kock.

The presence of spinners Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, and M. Siddharth gives the visitors depth in their squad for the conditions in Chepauk as they look to do the double against the five-time champion.

Squads:

Chennai Super Kings: Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Sameer Rizvi, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Nishant Sindhu, Moeen Ali, Mitchell Santner, Shaik Rasheed, Aravelly Avanish, Maheesh Theekshana, RS Hangargekar, Simarjeet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Richard Gleeson and Deepak Chahar.

Lucknow Super Giants: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c & wk), Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Shamar Joseph, Yash Thakur, Manimaran Siddharth, Prerak Mankad, Arshad Khan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Amit Mishra, Kyle Mayers, Ashton Turner, Matt Henry, Naveen-ul-Haq, Devdutt Padikkal, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Mayank Yadav and Arshin Kulkarni.

Match start time: 7.30 PM (IST).

Lucknow Super Giants captain K.L. Rahul plays a shot against Chennai Super Kings during their IPL match in Lucknow on April 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Lucknow Super Giants skipper K.L. Rahul and his Chennai Super Kings counterpart Ruturaj Gaikwad have been fined ₹12 lakh each as their teams maintained a slow over rate in their Indian Premier League match in Lucknow.

Playing at home, LSG beat defending champions CSK by eights wickets in the match at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 19. As it was the first offence of both the teams this season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, both Rahul and Ruturaj were fined 12 lakh, an IPL statement read.

“Mr K.L. Rahul, Captain, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match 34 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Chennai Super Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow,” the IPL said.

Regarding the other penalised player, the IPL said, “Mr Ruturaj Gaikwad, Captain, Chennai Super Kings has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match 34 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.”

Openers K.L. Rahul and Quinton de Kock, who made classy fifties on a slow pitch, produced a chasing masterclass to power LSG to a comfortable win over CSK. Asked to bat first, Ravindra Jadeja came up with a solid unbeaten 57 before Moeen Ali (30 off 20) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (28 off 9) went on a six-hitting spree to take CSK to a fighting 176 for six.

In reply, K.L. Rahul (82) and De Kock (54) batted with authority during their match-winning alliance of 134, the highest partnership for any wicket at the Ekana Stadium, as LSG scored 180 for 2 in 19 overs to recover from back-to-back defeats and consolidate their position in the table.

CSK, who came into the match with twin wins, on the other hand, slumped to their third loss in this IPL.

Openers KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock, who made classy fifties on a slow pitch, produced a chasing masterclass to power Lucknow Super Giants to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match in Lucknow on April 19.

Asked to bat first, Ravindra Jadeja came up with a solid unbeaten 57 before Mooen Ali (30 off 20) and MS Dhoni (28 off 9) went on a six-hitting spree to take CSK to a fighting 176 for six.

In reply, Rahul (82) and De Kock (54) batted with authority during their match-winning alliance of 134, the highest partnership for any wicket at the Ekana Stadium, as LSG scored 180 for 2 in 19 overs to recover from back-to-back loss and consolidate their position in the table.

CSK, who came into the match with twin wins, on the other hand, slumped to their third loss in this IPL.

Guilty of not capitalising on his starts, Rahul finally lived up to the expectations, smashing nine fours and three sixes in 53 balls, while De Kock overcame a scratchy start to hit five fours and a six in his 43-ball knock.

Chasing 177, Rahul was the aggressor as he played some magnificent strokes to give LSG a flying start.

The skipper was harsh on Deepak Chahar as he pulled the pacer for a six, before slapping him for another maximum over cover. He also hit him for a four off a slower delivery.

Rahul also produced a punch off the backfoot for a boundary off pacer Mustafizur Rahman as runs came thick and fast.

De Kock too smashed Tushar Deshpande for a maximum over deep midwicket as the powerplay yielded 54 for 0.

Rahul next sent a short-pitched ball from pacer Matheesha Pathirana over the third man for another maximum and the bowler was left further demoralised when he dropped De Kock’s catch at short third man off Jadeja in the ninth over.

After 10 overs, LSG were 89 for no loss.

Rahul notched up his 35th fifty with a four off Jadeja in the 11th over and then picked up another boundary to complete a 100-run opening stand with De Kock.

De Kock, who was subdued in the last three games, then reached his fifty in the 15th over with a single off Mustafizur, who removed him in the last ball.

However, Nicholas Pooran came out with all cylinders blazing, slamming Pathirana for a maximum, before sending Mustafizur on a leather hunt.

A one-handed catch from Jadeja finally ended Rahul’s fabulous knock but it was too late as Pooran (23 not out) and Marcus Stoinis (8 not out) knocked off the remaining runs.

Earlier, Rahul was spot on with his bowling changes as the pacers put the CSK batters under pressure initially before spinner Krunal Pandya tightened the noose in the middle overs.

Opener Rachin Ravindra’s (0) awful run continued as left-arm pacer Mohsin rattled his stumps, while Ruturaj Gaikwad (17) fell to Yash Thakur, who induced an outside edge from the CSK skipper.

Rahane (36), who opened the innings again, played some exquisite shots, pulling LSG debutant Matt Henry for the first six of their innings as 13 came off that over.

The Mumbaikar also carted two fours off Thakur to accumulate another 13 runs in the fifth over.

Jadeja, promoted to no. 4, picked a boundary off Henry in the next over as CSK scored 52 for 2 in the first six overs.

Owing to the slowness of the track, LSG skipper immediately introduced spinners Krunal and Bishnoi and the former struck in his second over, cleaning up Rahane.

CSK’s man-in-form Shivam Dube too failed to fire with Stoinis (1/7) justifying Rahul’s decision to hand over the ball to him, striking in his first ball as the left-handed batter sliced one up in the air.

Krunal then returned to dismiss impact player Sameer Rizvi, who paid the price for his premeditated dance down the track as CSK lost half their side with 90 on board.

Jadeja, who played some cracking sweep shots, held one end up and completed his fifty with a six off Mohsin to bring out his trademark sword-wielding celebration.

Rahul’s decision to give another over to Bishnoi, however, backfired as Moeen slammed three sixes as 19 came off the 18th over before perishing.

LSG paid the price for a sloppy overrate as Dhoni slammed a four and a six off Mohsin before smashing Thakur for another maximum. He finished the innings with two more fours as 19 came off the last over.

Scoreboard

Chennai Super Kings innings: Ajinkya Rahane b Pandya 36 Rachin Ravindra b Mohsin 0 Ruturaj Gaikwad (c) c Rahul b Thakur 17 Ravindra Jadeja not out 57 Shivam Dube c Rahul b Stoinis 3 Sameer Rizvi st Rahul b Pandya 1 Moeen Ali c Badoni b Bishnoi 30 MS Dhoni not out 28 Extras: (LB-1, W-3) 4

Total: (For 6 wickets in 20 overs) 176

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-33, 3-68, 4-87, 5-90, 6-141.

Lucknow Super Giants bowling: Matt Henry 3-0-26-0, Mohsin Khan 4-0-37-1, Yash Thakur 4-0-45-1, Krunal Pandya 3-0-16-2, Ravi Bishnoi 4-0-44-1, Marcus Stoinis 2-0-7-1.

Lucknow Super Giants innings: Quinton de Kock c Dhoni b Mustafizur 54 KL Rahul c Jadeja b Pathirana 82 Nicholas Pooran (not out) 23 Marcus Stoinis (not out) 8 Extras (LB-3, NB-1, W-9) 13

Total (2 wickets, 19 overs) 180

Fall of wickets: 1-134, 2-161.

Chennai Super Kings bowling: Deepak Chahar 3-0-26-0, Tushar Deshpande 4-0-42-0, Mustafizur Rahman 4-0-43-1, Ravindra Jadeja 3-0-32-0, Matheesha Pathirana 3-0-29-1, Moeen Ali 1-0-5-0.

Chennai Super Kings Shivam Dube plays a shot during the Indian Premier League 2024 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on April 5, 2024.
| Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

An inspired collective bowling performance from its pacers, followed by Abhishek Sharma and Aiden Markram’s fireworks with the bat, ensured Sunrisers Hyderabad coasted to an easy six-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Friday.

Sunrisers’s four-pronged pace attack restricted CSK to just 165 for five on a slow surface after electing to field. The Hyderabad bowlers quickly assessed the conditions, bowling into the pitch with a mix of cutters and slow bouncers, taking pace off their deliveries.

SRH vs CSK Live Score IPL 2024

Defending a modest total, Super Kings got off the wrong foot when Moeen Ali dropped Travis Head off the second ball at first slip. It was a sign of things to come as Abhishek tore apart the Chennai bowling attack in the PowerPlay with a 12-ball 37 (3×4, 4×6).

The left-hander smashed Mukesh Choudhary for three sixes and two boundaries as 27 came off the second over. He then hit Deepak Chahar for a six and four before the bowler got the better of him, but not before doing substantial damage. Travis Head (31) and Aiden Markram (50, 36b, 4×4, 1×6) then did not take their foot off the pedal as they made short work of the Chennai bowlers to take their team past 100 in the ninth over.

Though the defending champion fought back with three quick wickets, SRH was well ahead by then and got over the line with 11 balls to spare to get its second win. It was surprising why the CSK think-tank failed to employ the spinners — it had four in its ranks — earlier than it did.

Earlier, the Super Kings batters struggled for rhythm and played out 39 dot balls as Pat Cummins, Jaydev Unadkat, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar kept a tight leash on scoring.

Only Shivam Dube infused some life into his side’s batting effort with a quickfire 45 (24b, 2×4, 4×6). Dube got going by hitting Shahbaz for a six and four.

In the next over, he took on leggie Mayank Markande, clubbing him through covers for a four before a slog-swept six over square leg. He then hit left-arm pacer T. Natarajan for consecutive sixes over the leg side.

But once Cummins got Dube with a slow bouncer, the boundaries dried up as CSK managed just 38 off the last five and slumped to its second defeat.

Delhi Capitals’ Rishabh Pant speaking to Chennai Super Kings’ M.S. Dhoni after the end of Indian Premier League cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings at ACA-VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam on March 31, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak

Half-centuries from David Warner (52, 35b, 5×4, 3×6) and Rishabh Pant (51, 32b, 4×4, 3×6), followed by Khaleel Ahmed’s brilliant first spell (3-1-9-2) helped Delhi Capitals beat Chennai Super Kings by 20 runs for its first win of the season at the ACA-VDCA Stadium here on Sunday.

Electing to bat, Capitals posted 191 for five as openers Warner and Prithvi Shaw laid the foundation with a 93-run partnership before Pant gave the final flourish.

In reply, CSK’s chase went off the rails immediately when left-arm pacer Khaleel (two for 21) removed openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra in his first two overs as only 32 came in the PowerPlay.

DC vs CSK live score, IPL 2024

Revival

Ajinkya Rahane (45) and Daryl Mitchell (34) added 68 runs for the third wicket to keep the defending champion’s hopes alive. But just as they looked to get a move on, Axar Patel had Mitchell caught and bowled. Once Mukesh Kumar struck twice in as many balls to remove Rahane and Sameer Rizvi, it was nearly over for the Super Kings. The sell-out crowd was decked in yellow, and CSK’s fans, though, found some solace when M.S. Dhoni re-wound the clock and brought the roof down with a blistering cameo, smashing an unbeaten 37 (16b, 4×4, 3×6) that included some clean strikes down the ground. However, it came a bit too late for the Men in Yellow.

Earlier in the evening, Warner cut loose in the fifth over with a pick-up shot over midwicket for a six, followed by two boundaries through the off-side off Deepak Chahar. In the next over, Shaw slammed Mustafizur Rahman for a hat-trick of boundaries, as Delhi got to 62/0 in six overs.

Pathirana’s beauties

From 103/1, Delhi slumped to 134/4 as Matheesha Pathirana pulled things back for CSK when he delivered two inch-perfect reverse-swinging yorkers to knock over Mitchell Marsh and Tristan Stubbs in the space of three balls. But Pant ensured Delhi did not squander the start as he took down the Sri Lankan pacer for a six and two fours in one over to get to his half-century. The final flourish from the Delhi skipper meant his side had enough to hand Chennai its first defeat.